Baseball nostalgia in the air at Rye assisted-living center
Sep. 7—RYE — What was the worst trade the Boston Red Sox ever made?
According to former Red Sox pitcher Bob Stanley, it was when Boston shipped Cecil Cooper to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for George Scott and Bernie Carbo in 1976. Why didn't Stanley like the move?
"Because then I had to pitch to him (Cooper)," Stanley said Thursday morning. "Cecil and George Brett were two guys it seemed like I could never get out."
Stanley, a Newmarket resident, was speaking to the residents at Benchmark at Rye, an assisted-living facility. He was joined Thursday by former major league pitcher Skip Lockwood as part of "Major League Memories" program, a partnership between the Red Sox and the Alzheimer's Association.
The goal was to help bring joy to those suffering from Alzheimer's or other dementia.
Lockwood, who lives in Rye, and Stanley talked about their major league careers, answered questions and even helped sing "Take Me Out To The Ball Game." Lockwood pitched for the Seattle Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers, the California Angels, the New York Mets and the Red Sox. He and Stanley were teammates during the only year he played for Boston (1980).
Lockwood called it a "privilege" to attend the event.
"We did one a couple years ago at the veterans hospital in Manchester," Lockwood said. "We took the trophy (the 2004 World Series trophy) around to the rooms and everything like that and I spent all day there. I heard stories about what the soldiers had done and everything. I thought I was coming to give them something and I got educated.
"This is a gift to us. Makes us feel appreciated."
Stanley, known best for a wild pitch in the 1986 World Series, spent his entire 13-year major league career with the Red Sox. When he was done playing, he worked as a pitching coach for three major league organizations: the Mets, Giants and Blue Jays. His coaching career included one season (2015) as the pitching coach for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
"When analytics came out, I quit coaching," Stanley said. "Now I'm at home driving my wife nuts.
"Doing events like this one is fun. Hopefully it will help break up their day."
Stanley said Don Zimmer and Ralph Houk were his favorite managers to play for, and called earning the save in Tom Seaver's final pitching victory one of his more memorable major league games.
"He was my boyhood idol, so saving your boyhood idol's last MLB win ..."
Lockwood said being on the mound at Fenway was like pitching in a phone booth, and told those who attended that his salary during his first year in the majors was $7,500.
The two had different opinions on the pitch clock currently being used in MLB. Stanley said he got kicked out of three minor league games because of issues related to the pitch clock. Lockwood said the clock has helped keep the game moving and today's fans like it.
"I'd feel rushed if I had to pitch with it, but I think it's working," he said.
When Lockwood was asked about some of his memorable major league games he recalled a time he was pitching for Boston and facing the Chicago White Sox.
"I was pitching mop-up, which is what I should have been doing at that point in my career," he said. "I don't know if you remember, but back then Chicago had fireworks that came out of the scoreboard. I think I gave up a home run, a walk and then another home run. I love (catcher) Carlton Fisk, and Carlton comes out to the mound.
"We're both standing there watching the fireworks and I say, 'Carlton, what are you doing out here? There's nobody warming up in the bullpen.'
"He says: 'Skippy, I'll never lie to you. I'm giving them a chance to reload the scoreboard.'"
